Abuja Handset Dealers Seek End of Strike

The Chairman of the Abuja Handset Dealers Association, Mr. Ndubuisi Egbo, on Wednesday called for dialogue between the Federal Government and labour to resolve the current dispute over the removal of fuel subsidy.

Egbo told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents monitoring the strike situation at the GSM Village in Wuse, Abuja that the ongoing strike had adversely affected both the government and the people.

“There is no situation on earth that chaos will solve, only dialogue will solve the present problem.

“I am appealing to both parties to come to the round table and discuss, that is the only way out.”

He said that removal of subsidy was just like any other policy of government that “goes down well with some and not so well with others.”

Egbo said that although the market was opening on the third day of the strike, the level of activities at the market had remained low.

“If workers are still on strike, how do you expect them to come out and buy or repair their phones,” he said.

Mr. James Chukwu, who also deals in mobile phones, said that the traders came to the maket because they were tired of sitting at home without money.

“If we keep on sitting at home, will labour feed us?”

NAN reports that the GSM Village, which had been closed since the commencement of the strike on January1, opened for business on Wednesday with the traders complaining of poor sales.

It was also observed that most filling stations at Wuse Zone 3 and Zone 5 areas were closed, except the NNPC Mega Station which recorded a long queue of motorists waiting to buy fuel.